Whenever they have a spike in demand, the de-regulated prices go up by several hundred percent. Example

  • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    When you include enough battery storage to keep your HVAC working without interruption, the price becomes extremely high. I was not able to find anything less than about $100k installed here that could cool a 1500-2000 sqft house for a half day.

    • blazera@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Crazy thing about AC, its power draw lines up perfectly with solar production, you dont need much storage to run it.

      • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        That is simply not accurate in south Texas. It’s 90 degrees at midnight with 80% humidity. You need a great deal of storage.

        Also, the system needs to over-produce and store that excess energy during the day so you can continue to run all night. If there is heavy cloud cover, you will also be relying on that storage during the day as well.

        • blazera@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          Im seeing lows in the 70s. If theres heavy cloud cover you wont need as much AC. Texas summers are ideal solar scenario

          • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            Where?! Austin?! Haha. Just stop. Our lows are in the high 80’s on a good day in the summer! Usually, that low happens at 4 am and is only that temp for an hour or two. At midnight, the temp is usually about 90. Also, humidity is extremely high, making our temps much more deadly. So, just stop. You definitely, definitely do not know what you are talking about.

            Also, you can’t just turn off your AC when there’s cloud cover and easily get your house cooled back down when the sun comes back out, as you are implying. It takes a great deal of energy and an over-powered HVAC system (which no one has) to cool a house quickly when the sun is out.

            I’m not sure what you are doing right now. Is your goal to try to convince me, a resident of this place who has tried for years to afford a solar system, to embrace a solar solution? I already want one. If you know of a vendor in south Texas that can install what’s needed to keep me and my family alive when the power goes out for the low prices you claim, please let me know who they are and I will call them!

            Until then, I will just have to make do with my Generac natural gas generator that can run everything when the power goes out. That solution only costs $15k installed. There’s a reason people get whole-home generators instead of off-grid solar here. That reason is very obviously price. One day I hope to afford a solar solution (panels/batteries/installation) that can keep everything running when we lose power for several days at a time, but as of today, that is at least a $100k investment for a 1500-2000 sqft home.

            • blazera@lemmy.world
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              5 months ago

              Our lows are in the high 80’s on a good day in the summer!

              You know i can look up weather online right? Im in Mississippi, im all too familiar with humidity and muggy nights, ive lived without AC in the summer, i know its not comfortable temps at night, or during cloud cover. But its much lower temps than midday sun and the AC has to run a lot less to maintain desired temps.